Grenade



Feb. 2, 1937. R. c. COUPLAND GRENADE Filed Aug. 14, 1935 land IT'LvEntur Richard Ejmu J U /H 2 At t u rne Patented Feb. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Norfolk Application August 14, 1935, Serial No. 36,138

2 Claims. (01. 102-29) (Granted under the act of March 3, as 7 amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

, This invention relates to a grenade.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a combination hand and rifle grenade having a time fuse which may be readily adjusted to provide appropriate periods of delay in functioning. A further object is to arrange the fuse body to conveniently carry a propellent charge.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- 20 Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a grenade constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view.

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail sectional views of the fuse showing the two positions of adjustment.

25 Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views on the corresponding lines of Fig. 3.

Fig. '7 is a sectional View on the line 1-1 of Fig. 4.

The grenade comprises a cylindrical body 5 having a smooth outer surface and formed with a partition 6 adjacent its rear end to define a large chamber 1 for a bursting charge 8 and a small chamber 9 for a propellent charge I I]. The charge I is confined by a disc II which is retained by a plug I2 threaded in the body. The plug is formed with a plurality of vents I3 and centrally carries a primer I4 which is adapted to be functioned by a firing pin.

The front end of the body is formed with an opening for threadedly receiving an adapter I which includes a flanged tube I6 disposed in the chamber I. A thimble or sleeve I1 mounted on the flanges of the tube cooperates with the tube to provide a container for a detonator charge I8. The tube It is formed with an aperture I9 leading to the detonator I8.

The adapter is formed with an opening which is continuous with the opening in the tube It and receives the stem 2| of a fuse head 22. A pin 23 in the adapter engages a peripheral groove 24 in the stem and holds the fuse head in place while permitting it to rotate.

A tube 25 is carried by the stem and extends through the flanged tube I6, reaching almost to the partition 6. The tube 25 contains a time fuse 26 leading from a detonator charge 21 at its inner end to a primer 28 in the fuse head. An

aperture 29 is provided in the tube 25 and is located in the plane of the aperture I9 of the tube I6.

The primer 28 is functioned by a conventional firing mechanism consisting of a pivoted striker 30 which is held in cocked position against the action of its spring 3I by means of a lever 32. The lever is mounted on the fuse head and normally held by a pin 33 which carries a pullring 34. The arm 35 of the lever is of spring metal and is positionable in either one of a pair of diametrically opposite recesses or grooves 36 and 37 formed in the outer surface of the body 5. The grooves are designated by inscription on the body, such as Hand and Rifle.

When the arm 35 is in the groove marked Hand as seen in Fig. 1, the apertures I9 and 29 are in alignment, Fig. 3, so that the time fuse 26 transmits ignition to the detonator charge I8 and the grenade is exploded after 5 1 seconds, which is the customary delay for hand throwing.

When the fuse head is turned degrees to place the arm 35 in a groove marked Rifle, the apertures I9 and 29 are out of alignment and the time fuse burns through its entire length to ignite the detonator charge 21. In this setting the grenade is exploded after 12 seconds which is the customary delay when the grenade is projected from a rifle attachment or discharger.

The throwing of the grenade by hand is performed in the usual manner after removing the pin 33. In throwing the grenade from a discharger the pin 33 is likewise removed and the lever 32 held in place by the barrel of the discharger. When the primer I4 is fired the gases from the propellent charge I0 rupture the disc I I and react on the barrel to project the grenade.

I claim:

1. A grenade comprising a body, an adapter secured to the body and having a flanged tube disposed within the body, said tube having an aperture between the flanges, a sleeve mounted on the flanges of the tube and cooperating with the tube to form a container, an explosive charge in the container, a fuse head rotatably mounted in the adapter, a firing mechanism carried by the fuse head, an inner tube carried by the fuse head and extending through the adapter tube, said tube having an aperture positionable in and out of communication with the aperture of the adapter tube, a time fuse in the inner tube, and an explosive charge at the inner end of the inner tube.

2. A grenade comprising a. body, a tube fixed to the body and extending therein, an annular container on the outer side of the portion of said tube Within the body, a detonator charge in the container of the tube, said tube having an aperture leading to the detonator charge, a rotatably mounted. inner tube extending through the fixed tube, said inner tube having an aperture positionable in and out of communication with the aperture of the fixed tube, a time fuse in the inner tube, and a detonator charge at the inner end of the inner tube.

RICHARD C. COUPLAND. 

